CoolSculpting for love handles in London

The flanks, the rolls above the hip bones, were the first area CoolSculpting was FDA-cleared for in the US, in 2010. In the manufacturer's flank study, 60 patients had up to three treatments and at six months the fat layer was 18.7% thinner on ultrasound, independent doctors picked out the before photograph correctly in 88.6% of cases and 82.1% were satisfied. Both flanks are treated together in one visit, four to six cycles, usually with no time off work, at Cool Clinic, 130 Harley Street, with the price in writing at a free consultation.

Why this area

A love handle is a firm, pinchable roll with a clear edge, which is what the applicator needs to draw in, and it moves little with exercise. The two patients in a 2016 published follow-up, photographed six and nine years after treatment of one flank with the reduction still visible, were flank patients. The US clearance for the body areas is for people with a body mass index of 30 or under.

What the studies measured

• Manufacturer's flank study, 60 patients: up to three treatments, the fat layer 18.7% thinner on ultrasound at six months, independent doctors picked out the before photograph correctly in 88.6% of cases, 82.1% satisfied.
• Two patients, 2016: photographed six and nine years after one flank treatment, the reduction still visible.
• Cycles: four to six by the 2022 expert panel, which reached no consensus on this area; two applicators run at once, so both sides are done in the same visit.

The session and after

Two cycles at a time, one on each flank, 35 to 60 minutes, intense cold and pulling for the first minutes and numbness after; a second pair after four to eight weeks where the roll is thick. The flanks are red, firm and often bruised for a week or two and numb for one to three weeks. The result can start to show from about four weeks and is judged about eight weeks after the last cycle, when we take the after photograph.

Who it suits

Anyone with a pinchable roll above the hip whose weight is steady, men and women alike. In our experience love handles are often treated with the lower stomach in the same course, and the stomach page covers that area; the full guide covers the rest.

Book a free consultation

Call Cool Clinic on 0207 043 1117 or use the form below. The clinician pinches both sides, counts the cycles and gives you the course price in writing.